Wall surface traveling robot

ABSTRACT

In order to resolve a problem such that a prior wall-surface travelling robot has dropped from a wall-surface at travelling by that the parallelism between a frame and the wall-surface is not held by rotation moment by its own weight, a wall-surface travelling robot according to the present invention comprises extendable absorption pad mechanisms ( 3 ) in each of which absorption pads ( 3 - 3 ) detachable to the wall-surface to be absorbed move parallel to the wall-surface and vertically in the wall-surface, and extend to the wall-surface; and a rotation moment offsetting mechanism ( 4 ) for applying a force opposite to the wall-surface into a lower end part ( 2 - 1 - 2 ) of a frame ( 2 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a wall-surface travelling robot which can adhere to and travel on a vertical wall-surface.

BACKGROUND ARTS

Recently, durability and reliability for buildings are disputed with. Because deterioration in many of constructions such as buildings or bridge supports is accelerated across the ages and by environmental stress due to the earthquake or change of natural environment, legal obligation for testing has been started.

Though demand for maintenance of wall-surface is increased, because working in the field cannot catch up to the demand due to no means for saving and automation, it becomes a problem that economical costs such as equipment costs of stepping, a gondola or the like, labor costs and the like are large.

To resolve the problem, various inventions for a wall-surface travelling robot have been performed in the past and disclosed.

However, prior wall-surface travelling robots have many problems in functional performance side and a problem such that operation side and further apparatus costs, incidental equipment costs, operation costs are high, so that there is no merit for robotization as compared with prior cases and robots for this purpose have not been developed.

Regarding robots travelling a non-magnetic wall, though there is travelling robots in an electrostatic suction system by United States' SRI or travelling robots in a vacuum suction system that have been studied in Japan, since suction power of robots in the electrostatic suction system or slipping suction system is weak, suction power of robots in the vacuum suction system is superior because the robots in the vacuum suction system is cohered to the wall-surface.

For the travelling system in the vacuum suction system, there were a robot in a caterpillar track system (a crawler system) that absorption pads for wall-surface suction are arranged on an outer-peripheral portion of an endless rotation belt and only pads contacting the surface are vacuumed and absorbed on the wall-surface, and then, the endless rotation belt are rotated for travelling, a robot in a slipping absorption pad system that holds a front end in the wall-surface direction of the absorption pad at minute distance from the wall-surface for simplification of the structure and weight saving thereof and that is provided with drive wheels for travelling, and a robot in a multilegged walking system (a spider travelling system) that have a lot of absorption pads at front end portions of multiple joint multilegged portions respectively and that can absorb and travel on the wall-surface by controlling multilegged portions in three dimensions.

The robot in the caterpillar track system has some problems that absorption pads lose suction power rapidly by happening engulfment of front ends of seal portions at the place where the absorption pads come in contact with the wall-surface and that efficiency becomes bad because availability factor of the absorption pads is about one third as absorption pads absorbed on the wall-surface are only worked, and has also problem that minimization, weight saving and cost saving are difficult because it is necessary that the absorption pads grow in size or the number of the absorption pads increase in order to obtain the absorption power.

The robot in the sliding absorption pad system has some problems that it is used mainly on a smooth-surface because vacuum leakage is large on an irregular surface such as a concrete surface or a mortar wall and loses the suction power to drop or the suction power is weak even if it is absorbed.

The robot in the multilegged walking system has some problems that mechanisms are many and control is complex in order to perform the multilegged control and that travelling speed cannot be increased due to high weight, and further that the costs are high.

In contrast, the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,325 shows a robot in a vacuum suction system that vacuum absorption pads provided on a circular main body frame move in a direction parallel to a wall-surface and in a direction vertical thereto. According to this system, availability of the absorption pads is high and the absorption power can be ensured, so that the control thereof is easy comparatively.

PRIOR ART Patent Document

Patent Document 1: Patent No. 2557786 (JP H07-017443 A)

Patent Document 2: JP 2005-047451 A

Patent Document 3: Patent No. 3396325 (JP H08-257951 A)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

However, the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,325 has the following problems in the travelling up and down, as a description that “a role of a wall-surface travelling device in the absorption system is to intend to hold the blast mechanism loosely and to stop swinging in a horizontal direction of the mechanism, but not to support the whole of the blast mechanism” in the embodiment, in the case that it is considered as a travelling device without any absorption support by absorption pads provided four each in right side and left side that is provided on a blast mechanism or upper and lower frames.

The invention described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,325 is to move vacuum contact pads one by one, but there is a problem that travelling speed is slow in this moving system.

In order to make the travelling speed high, it can be considered to perform movement of the frame and movement of the absorption pads separated from the wall-surface at the same time. For instance, in upward travelling, a frame is moved by canceling suction of the absorption pads in upper sides of horizontal frames and extending pistons of the absorption pads in lower side of the horizontal frames, but if pistons of the absorption pads in the upper side thereof is extended, the absorption pads in the upper side thereof is moved to twice distance against the case of extending the pistons simply, so that the travelling speed can be made high.

However, in the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,325, thus travelling is difficult constitutionally.

Besides, regarding the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,325, in travelling up and down, when the absorption against the wall-surface in the absorption pads positioned in the upper side of the horizontal frames is cancelled, biasing force for separating the upper part of the frame from the wall-surface is worked due to rotation moment around an suction point of the absorption pads positioned on the upper side of the frame to make distance between the upper part thereof and the wall-surface wider than distance between lower part thereof and the wall-surface, so that there is a problem so as to remove from the wall-surface because the stable condition of the travelling cannot be held.

Furthermore, also in the case that the distance to the wall-surface is not so large, when absorption pads positioned in lower side of the horizontal frame support the frame to go upwardly and the absorption pads positioned in the upper side thereof try to be absorbed on the wall-surface, the distance to the wall-surface is wide in the upper side thereof and narrow in the lower side thereof so that the frame slants by the rotation moment, so that there is a problem that the suction parts of the absorption pads in the upper side thereof are not in contact with the wall-surface up and down, seals of contact surface peripheral portions in the absorption pads are spooled up to arise vacuum leakage and decrease the suction power gradually. In the case that the travelling speed is high, spooling-up of the seals of the contact surface peripheral portions is repeated for the short run, so that there is a problem that suction removal to the wall-surface is arisen for the short run according to wear and tear due to the vacuum leakage and repeating spooling-up of the seals.

A Means for Solving Problem

According to claim 1, a robot absorbed and travelling on a vertical wall-surface is characterized by comprising extendable absorption pad mechanisms in each of which absorption pads detachable to the wall-surface to be absorbed move parallel to the wall-surface and vertically in the wall-surface, and extend to the wall-surface; and a rotation moment offsetting mechanism for applying a force opposite to the wall-surface into a lower end part of a frame.

According to claim 2, the extendable absorption pad mechanisms are characterized by comprising guide rails having three or more lines installed on an upper part and a lower part in the frame, a reciprocating mechanical portion that is in contact with the guide rails slidably and can move slidably and up and down, an absorption pad mechanical portion which is provided corresponding to the reciprocating mechanical portion and on which absorption pads with a vacuum generation device are erected on the wall-surface direction, an extendable mechanical portion which is engaged with the reciprocating mechanism and the absorption pad mechanical portion and which extends and contracts the absorption pad mechanical portion in parallel to the wall-surface in the wall-surface direction, and a travelling drive mechanism for moving the reciprocating mechanical portion in a direction of the upper part and the lower part of the frame.

According to claim 3, the rotation moment setoff mechanism is characterized by comprising wheels which are provided on the lower part of the frame and which bias the wall-surface, a supporting plate which supports one ends of the wheels and engage the another ends thereof on the lower end part in the frame and a driving means for rotating the support plate or pushing the support plate to the wall-surface.

According to claim 4, the extendable mechanical portion is characterized by comprising a linear shaft which is provided in a direction facing the absorption pad mechanical portion in the wall-surface side of the reciprocating mechanical portion, a linear bush or a linear ball which is screwed on the linear shaft and which is provided on the absorption pads mechanical portion and a drive means for supporting the linear shaft.

According to claim 5, the extendable mechanical portion is characterized by comprising guide rods which are provided through the reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion and whose one ends are secured on the reciprocating mechanical portion or the absorption pad mechanical portion, and stoppers which are provided on free end portions in another ends of the guide rods and which abut on guide rod through holes in the reciprocating mechanical portion or the absorption pad mechanical portion.

According to claim 6, the extendable mechanical portion is characterized by comprising an X-shaped link mechanism wherein two plates are installed each on right side and left side in both side plates in a vertical moving direction of the reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion and are formed as X-shape by fixing the center points of the two plates, wherein three end portions of the X-shape link mechanism are supported on predefined positions of the both side plates in the reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion, wherein one end portion of the X-shape is provided slidably to an elongate hole which is in parallel to the vertical direction of the reciprocating mechanical portion and is provided at a predefined position of the both side plates of the reciprocating mechanical portion, and a drive means for reciprocating one end portion of the link mechanical portion inserting slidably along the elongate hole.

According to claim 7, the extendable mechanical portion is characterized by comprising a rack which is erected at a predefined position on the wall-surface side in the reciprocating mechanical portion, a pinion which is provided at a predefined position opposite to the wall-surface in the absorption pad mechanical portion and which is engaged with the rack, a roller or a shoe like a ship-bottom shape which holds a back-surface of the rack and a drive means for supporting the pinion.

According to claim 8, the travelling drive mechanism is characterized by comprising a predefined number of pulleys which are provided on the upper part and the lower part in the frame respectively, a predefined number of endless rotation belts extending between the pulleys, fastening means for fastening predefined positions of the endless rotation belts on the reciprocating mechanical portion and a drive means for supporting on the pulleys.

According to claim 9, the travelling drive mechanism is characterized by comprising a linear shaft which is supported on the upper part and the lower part in the frame in order to change from rotation movement to linear movement, a drive means which is supported at one end of the linear shaft, a linear bush or a linear ball which is screwed on the linear shafts and which is provided in the reverse direction relative to the wall-surface of the reciprocating mechanical portion.

According to claim 10, the absorption pad mechanical portion is characterized by erecting two or more absorption pads up and down in the wall-surface direction.

According to claim 11, the absorption pad mechanical portion is characterized by comprising two or more absorption pads, and a plurality of absorption pad supporting rod mechanisms which are provided through a base plate of the absorption pad mechanical portion and which can move slidably in the wall-surface direction and can stop the absorption pads at one end of the wall-surface side thereof, which are provided with concave grooves up and down to the sliding direction on an outer peripheral wall in another end thereof, which are biased to the wall-surface direction by an elastic material and which are provided up and down, gripping mechanisms for engaging with the concave grooves of the absorption pad supporting rods to prevent slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rods, and a drive means for controlling so as to prevent slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rod when the absorption pads are absorbed on the wall-surface and to start slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rod when the absorption pads are released.

Effect of the Invention

According to claims 1 and 3, in the case that the lower end part in the frame gains the force in the reverse direction relative to the wall-surface by the rotation moment offsetting mechanism provided on the lower end part in the frame, the force toward the wall-surface is applied to the upper end part in the frame around the absorption pads which are positioned and absorbed in the lower side as a fulcrum, so that the frame can be held in a position in parallel to the wall-surface up and down.

According to claim 2, due to three or more extendable absorption pad mechanisms which move up and down, in a state that two or more absorption pads positioned in the lower part in the frame are absorbed, as the remaining absorption pads can be moved upward, the frame can be kept its equilibrium horizontally, so that, in combination with the rotation moment offsetting mechanism, the frame can be kept its parallel not only up and down but also horizontally.

Accordingly, in travelling, parallel in vertical and horizontal directions between the frame and the wall-surface is kept and the absorption pads are coherent to and absorbed on the wall-surface in peripheral portions of contacting seals thereof, so that strong absorption power can be gained by high vacuum.

Besides, because the strong absorption force is obtained by high vacuum due to cohesion for a short time, stability of the position for wall-surface absorption is high and changing time for absorption or non-absorption of the absorption pads can be shortened and high speed travelling can be achieved.

Furthermore, because parallelism in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction between the frame and the wall-surface is held, vertical length of the guide rails installed up and down can be set to a predefined length and moving distance of the extendable absorption pad mechanisms that move in a direction that the frame moves without absorption to the wall-surface can also be made long, the number of changing absorption and non-absorption can be reduced, so that the high speed travelling can be achieved.

The invention according to claim 2 is that each of three or more lines of the extending and contacting pads repeats a sequence of actions such as extending of the absorption pads in the wall-surface direction, contacting surface and absorption, vertical driving to the frame of the extendable pad mechanisms that are already be absorbed, releasing the absorption of the absorption pads, contracting the absorption pads and vertical movement to the frame of the extendable pad mechanisms that are not absorbed, the frame can be moved in a vertical advanced direction.

That is to say, the sequence of the actions such that, at the same time as the movement of the frame, the extendable absorption pad mechanisms that are not absorbed is made moved in a moving direction of the frame, the absorption pads extend in the wall-surface direction to absorb the wall-surface after the movement, that the absorption of the absorption pads that have been absorbed on the wall surface to support the movement of the frame is released and contracted, and that a role of supporting the frame changes to the extendable absorption pad mechanisms that are absorbed newly, and that, at the same time as the next movement of the frame, the extendable absorption pad mechanisms that become not to be absorbed move to the direction of the frame movement, are repeated continuously, so that the frame can go up and down continuously.

In the invention described in claim 2, since the extendable absorption pad mechanisms that move in the moving direction without absorption move in the moving direction of the frame at the same time as the movement of the frame, moving speed of the extendable absorption pad mechanisms is the frame movement speed plus the movement speed of the extendable absorption pad mechanisms to the frame., so that the robot can travel up and down at high speed on the wall-surface.

In the inventions described in claims 4 to 7, according to each of linear shaft mechanism, link mechanism, and rack and pinion mechanism, minimization and saving costs of the extendable mechanical portion for making the reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion move parallel can be achieved.

The invention according to claim 5 has resolved correspondence to position gap between the reciprocating mechanical portion and the adsorption pad mechanical portion and the rotation moment applied by its own weight at the time of adsorbing the wall-shaft that are problems in parallel movement by the rotation of one linear shaft mechanism in claim 4 by providing the guide rods and stopper for the guide rods.

The inventions according to claims 8 and 9 have achieved the travelling drive mechanism that engages predefined positions of the endless rotation belts provided on the upper part and the lower part of the frame or a linear bush or a linear ball screwed on the linear shaft with the travelling drive mechanism to go up and down in parallel to the wall-surface.

The invention according to claim 10 is to be provided with a mechanism for offsetting the rotation moment also in the absorption pad mechanical portion itself by that the absorption pads are absorbed in the vertical direction of the wall-surface in order to set off the rotation moment around the lower side absorption pads because the upper side absorption pads are absorbed since two or more absorption pads are provided on the vertical direction of the wall-surface in the absorption pad mechanical portion.

In the invention according to claim 11, in the case that the wall-surface is uneven and the absorption pads becomes in contact with the uneven surface, the absorption pads biased to the wall-surface stop slide movement in the wall-surface direction at the position that the absorption pads are in contact with the wall-surface, because the gripping mechanism engages with the concave groove in the absorption supporting rod at the same time for stopping the absorption pads at one end of the wall-surface side thereof and stopping by changing height of the absorption pad supporting rod corresponding to the height of the wall-surface, difference of the height of the wall-surface is absorbed in the absorption pad mechanical portion, and parallelism between the robot's frame and the wall-surface can be held in the uneven surface, so that the absorption pads can cohere and absorb the peripheral portions of the contacting surface seals on the wall-surface.

Thus, even if there is uneven surface, absorption travelling became possible.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1-1 is a perspective appearance diagram of the wall-surface travelling robot according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 1-2 is a plan view of the wall-surface travelling robot according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 1-3 is a cross-sectional side view of FIG. 1-2 along the line A-A of the wall-surface travelling robot according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the rotation moment offsetting mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a side view of the frame and the rotation moment offsetting mechanism provided in a lower part of the frame, and FIG. 2 (b) is an enlarged side view indicated by an N part shown in FIG. 2 (a);

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the device provided with the vertical drive mechanism by the linear shaft in the embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 4 (a) is a perspective appearance diagram showing the extendable absorption pad mechanical portion in the embodiments 1 and 2 of the invention;

FIG. 4 (b) is a side view thereof;

FIG. 5 is an illustration diagram of the link mechanism in the embodiment 3 of the invention;

FIG. 6-(a) is a side view of the extendable absorption pad mechanical portion with which the gripping mechanism is provided in the embodiment 4 of the invention;

FIG. 6-(b) is a perspective appearance diagram of the absorption pad mechanical portion with which the gripping mechanism is provided;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged diagram of an E part shown in FIG. 6-(b);

FIG. 8 is an illustration diagram of the gripping mechanism in the embodiment 5 of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged diagram of a J part shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective appearance diagram of each gripping mechanism in the embodiment 5, FIG. 5 (a) is an illustration diagram of an opening and closing plate mechanism for opening and closing the gripping mechanism by a halved nut, and FIG. 5 (b) is an illustration diagram of the gripping mechanism by the halved nut;

FIG. 11 illustrates the gripping mechanical portion by the halved nut shown in FIG. 10-(b) in detail, FIG. 11 (a) is a plan view thereof and FIG. 11 (b) is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 (a) along the line M-M; and

FIG. 12 is to explain travelling of the wall-surface travelling robot of the invention by the movement of the extendable absorption pad mechanism as a state transition, FIG. 12 (a) illustrates that the extendable absorption pad mechanism is absorbed on the wall-surface shown by number 1 and the frame went up and then the extending and contacting absorption pad mechanism shown by number 2 is in a state of non-absorption, FIG. 12 (b) shows a state that the extendable absorption pad mechanism shown by number 2 is absorbed on the wall-surface, FIG. 12 (c) shows a state that the extending and contacting absorption pad mechanism shown by number 1 is not absorbed, and FIG. 12 (d) shows a state that the frame goes up by driving of the extendable absorption pad mechanism shown by number 2 and the extendable absorption pad mechanism also goes up by the driving.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present inventions are explained based on the following embodiments.

Embodiment 1

The embodiment 1 is explained based on the FIGS. 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3. A wall-surface travelling robot according to the present invention comprises a square frame 2, a predefined even number of reciprocating mechanism guide rails 2-3 installed parallel to left and right side portion frames 2-2 between an upper part frame 2-1-1 and a lower part frame 2-1-2 of the frame, and a predefined number of extendable absorption pad mechanisms 3 each of which is provided with guide wheels 3-12 and 3-13 contacting slidably to the guide rails 2-3 and which can reciprocate up and down in the direction along the guide rails, wherein upper and lower pairs of pulleys 2-9 for supporting driving belts 2-10 are provided on the upper and lower end part frames 2-1-1 and 2-1-2 in parallel with the reciprocating mechanism guide rails 2-3, wherein the drive belts 2-10 are wound on the pulleys 2-9 and installed between the upper and lower end part frames 2-1-1 and 2-1-2. Predefined positions of the drive belts 2-10 on the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 side are fastened to the reciprocating mechanism 3-1 of the extendable absorption mechanism 3 by a reciprocating mechanical portion belt fastening mechanism 2-11.

Motors 2-8 supported on the pulleys 2-9 are provided on the lower end part frame 2-1-2, the drive belts 2-10 are rotated by the rotation of the motor 2-8, so that the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 fastened by the reciprocating mechanical portion belt fastening mechanism 2-11 can be moved up and down.

When the absorption pads 3-3 of the extendable absorption pad mechanism 3 are absorbed on the wall-surface, the driving belts are rotated, so that the frame 2 supported by the pulleys 2-9 can travelled up or down on the wall-surface.

When the extendable absorption pad mechanism 3 lifts up the frame 2 and non-absorbed extendable absorption pad mechanism 3 moves slidably along the reciprocating guide rails 2-3, downward rotation moment applied to the frame controls and biases a wheel provided on the lower end part of the frame 2 in the wall-surface direction, the lower end part of the frame 2 is lifted up by its reverse force, and reverse rotation moment is gained around the absorption pads mechanism 3 absorbed on the wall-surface in an upper side thereof, so that a rotation moment offsetting mechanism 4 shown in FIG. 1-3 controls parallelism between the frame and the wall-surface.

The detail of the rotation moment offsetting mechanism is explained based on FIG. 2.

Because rotation moment which is applied by its own weight to the wall-surface travelling robot is changed by change of position and attitude of the frame 2 of the extending and contacting absorption pad mechanism 3 at travelling, the rotation moment offsetting mechanism 4 for offsetting the rotation moment by biasing force to the wall-surface is provided on the lower end part of the frame 2.

The rotation moment offsetting mechanism 4 is to measure difference between a vertical line and declination of the frame and to give biasing force to the wall-surface corresponding to the difference and is provided with a moment controlling wheel 4-1 for generating the bias force, a moment controlling wheel supporting plate 4-2 for supporting the moment controlling wheel 4-1, a moment controlling wheel rotation supporting plate 4-3 for supporting the moment controlling wheel supporting plate 4-2 rotating for generating the biasing force and a controlling wheel link 4-4 for transferring the force a drive means 4-5 such as a motor, an actuator or the like to the moment controlling wheel supporting plate 4-2 as a biasing force.

Because an attitude of the frame is held parallel to the wall-surface by detecting difference for parallelism between the wall-surface and the frame and controlling it as a biasing force from the back part of the frame to the wall-surface, travelling in a stable attitude on an uneven surface can be achieved.

As described above, the drive belts 2-10 are rotation belts such as a chain or the like, and the pulleys 2-9 and pulleys 2-9 would be changed to a supporting wheel such as gears or the like. Besides, the rotation moment offsetting mechanism 4 is preferably positioned lower than a position where the extendable absorption pad mechanism 3 is absorbed on the wall-surface and engaged with the frame.

A biasing force by rotation used by the moment controlling wheel supporting plate 4-2 and the controlling wheel rotation link 4-4 would be a biasing force by pressing movement to the wall-surface.

Furthermore, the rotation moment offsetting mechanism 4 would have a simple structure that a plate piece supporting a wheel is engaged to the frame 2 and the wheel biases the wall-surface.

The detail of the extendable absorption pad mechanism is explained based on FIG. 4.

The extendable absorption pad mechanism 3 shown in FIG. 4 comprises the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 wherein guide wheels 3-12, 3-13 sliding along the reciprocating mechanical guide rail 2-3 are provided at both right and left sides in the reciprocating direction; an absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 which is provided with a linear shaft 3-5-1 provided on the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 side in a wall side of the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 and a linear bush or linear ball 3-5-2 screwed on the linear shaft 3-5-1; an extendable mechanical guide rod 3-9 which is passed through the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 and the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 and is erected on the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 in order to prevent the rotation of the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 by the rotation of the linear shaft 3-5-1; an extendable mechanical portion 3-5 provided with a guide rod bush 3-9-1 sliding along the extendable mechanical guide rod 3-9; and, the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 for extendable in the wall-surface direction by normal rotation or inverse rotation of the linear shaft 3-5-1 of the extendable mechanical portion 3-5 wherein a plurality of absorption pads 3-3 communicating with the vacuum generating device 3-10 are erected in the wall-surface direction, so that the absorption pads 3-3 can contact to and release from the wall-surface by the extending and the contacting movement in the wall-surface direction of the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2.

Stoppers that receive the rotation moment applied to the extending and contacting mechanical portion 3-5 and protect in the case that the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-3 is extended at a position where the guide rod bush 3-9-1 is contacted to the wall-surface direction and absorbed are provided on the extendable mechanical guide rods 3-9 where the guide rod bush 3-9-1 is contacted.

There is no problem even if the stoppers are clinchers screwed on the extendable mechanical guide rods 3-9.

Embodiment 2

This embodiment is explained based on FIG. 3.

The linear bush or the linear ball 3-11 for the reciprocating linear shaft which is screwed on the reciprocating shaft 2-5 installed and supported between the upper end part and the lower end part frames 2-1 of the frame 2 is provided on the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 of the extendable absorption pad mechanism 3, and the reciprocating linear shaft 2-5 is provided so that one end thereof is supported on the motor 2-8.

The extendable absorption pad mechanism 3 can move slidably along the reciprocating mechanical guide rail 2-3 and move in the vertical direction of the frame 2.

Besides, even if the reciprocating mechanism by the linear shaft is a rack-and-pinion mechanism comprising a rack which is installed in the vertical direction of the frame 2 and a pinion which is provided on the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 and which is engaged with the rack, it can also be a reciprocating mechanism.

Also due to this, in the case that the absorption pads 3-3 of the extendable absorption pad mechanism 3 are absorbed on the wall-surface, the frame 2 can move parallel in the vertical direction of the wall-surface when the reciprocating linear shaft 2-5 is rotated.

Embodiment 3

The embodiment 3 is explained based on FIG. 5.

The extendable mechanical portion 3-5 engaging with the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 and the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 is provided with link plates 3-14-1, 3-14-2, 3-15-1 and 3-15-2 becoming paired that are provided at both of right and left sides in the vertical moving direction and a center shaft 3-17 supporting in center portions of the link plates, wherein one ends of link plates 3-14-1, 3-14-2, 3-15-1 and 3-15-2 are supported on rotation shafts 3-19-1 and 3-19-2 that are provided on the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 and the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 and another ends thereof are contacted slidably via slidably moving wheels 3-16-1 on slidably moving holes 3-18-1 and 3-18-2 provided in the reciprocating mechanical portion 3-1 and the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2.

A driving means 3-20 such as a linear motor, a cylinder or the like for reciprocating the slidably moving wheels along the slidably moving holes 3-18-1 and 3-18-2 is provided on the slidably moving wheels 3-16-1.

The expendable mechanical portion 3-5 is preferably constituted of another link mechanism instead of the link mechanism comprising the link plates.

Besides, the extendable mechanical portion of the embodiment 3 can be a rack-and-pinion mechanism which is also constituted of a rack erecting at a predefined position of the reciprocating mechanism, a pinion engaging with the rack provided at the predefined position of the absorption pad mechanical portion, a roller or a ship-bottom-shaped shoe gripping a back surface of the rack.

Embodiment 4

The gripping mechanism of the embodiment 4 is explained based on FIGS. 6 and 7.

The absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 is biased so as to be able to press in the wall-surface direction by an elastic body such as a coil spring or the like, the absorption pads 3-3 are provided at one ends thereof, and absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1 where a plurality of concave grooves are provided vertically to the pressing direction on an outer circumferential wall in another ends thereof are provided slidably through the pad supporting rod bush located on a substrate.

Besides, in the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1, vacuum holes communicating with vacuum chambers inside circumferential edge seal walls of the absorption pads 3-3 providing on one end thereof are formed in an axial direction, vacuum joints 3-3-3 are provided on terminations of the vacuum holes and communicated with the vacuum generating device 3-10.

In order to control slide movement in the wall-surface direction by the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1, absorption pad gripping mechanical portions 3-4 are provided so as to engage with the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1.

The absorption pad gripping mechanical portions 3-4 are provided with gripping plates 3-4-1 engaging the concave grooves of the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1, gripping plate mechanical supporting plates 3-4-3 passing through and holding the gripping plate in the groove side, elastic bodies 3-4-1 such as springs biasing the gripping plates in direction of the concave grooves, and driving means 3-4-4 such as solenoids or the like for cancelling engagement between the gripping plates and the concave grooves at supplying electric power, respectively.

In the case that the absorption pad mechanical portions 3-2 is extended in the wall-surface direction, since the gripping plates cancel the engagement to the concave grooves by supplying electric power at the same time, the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1 are moved slidably freely and make the absorption pads 3-3 in contact with the wall-surface an absorbed by being biased by the elastic bodies 3-8 such as a coil spring or the like. Because the absorption pads 3-3 are pressed to the wall-surface by the biasing force of the elastic bodies and are in contact with the wall-surface and stop, the drive means 3-4-4 such as a solenoid or the like become in a non-energization condition, the gripping plates 3-4-1 biased by the elastic bodies 3-4-2 such as springs engage to the concave grooves of the absorption pad supporting rod 3-3-1 to stop slide movement in the wall-surface vertical direction of the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1 to be gripped.

Each of the absorption pads 3-3 arranged in rows vertically in the wall-surface direction on the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 is adhered on the wall-surface, and then, if the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1 are gripped, the wall-surface absorption corresponding to the height of the wall-surface can be achieved, so that the frame 2 can be travelled with maintaining parallelism to the wall-surface also in the uneven surface.

Embodiment 5

The gripping mechanism in the embodiment 5 is explained based on FIGS. 8 to 11.

An absorption pad gripping mechanical portion 3-4′ of the gripping mechanism shown by J in FIG. 8 is provided with halved nut portions shown in FIG. 10-(b) and halved nut opening and closing plate portions shown in FIG. 10-(a).

The halved nut portions shown in FIG. 10-(b) is, as showing the cross-section thereof in FIG. 11-(b), one sides of the separated nuts in dual-partitioned nuts 3-4′-2 and 3-4′-3 are secured by the halved nut opening and closing plate springs 3-4′-7 to be in the shape before separation thereof, wherein an usual shape thereof is in state that the nuts are opened.

The halved nut portions are, as shown in FIG. 9, provided slidably in the wall-surface direction so as to pass through the substrate of the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2, and are provided around the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1 with grooves engaging with a plurality of nuts that are provided on an outer circumferential wall of rods in the opposite side to the wall-surface.

Halved nut stoppers 3-4′-4 and 3-4′-5 shown in FIG. 10-(b) are provided on the upper side and lower side surfaces of the halved nuts.

Facing the halved nut front end portions 3-4′-2-a and 3-4′-3-a shown in FIG. 10-(b) whose front end is narrow and whose width is widened gradually, halved nut opening and closing plates 3-4′-1, which are biased to the halved nut front end portions 3-4′-2-a and 3-4′-3-a shown in FIG. 10-(a) by the elastic bodies 3-4-2 such as coil springs and which are secured on the halved nut front end portions and are fasten the halved nuts, are provided.

The halved nut opening and closing plates 3-4′-1 biased in the halved nut portion direction by the elastic bodies 3-4-2 are engaged with the drive means 3-4-4 such as solenoids or the like, the halved nut portions are closed at non-energization, projections of the nuts' teeth are engaged with grooves in which the nuts in outer circumferential wall of the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1 are engaged to stop the slide movement in the wall-surface direction of the absorption pads 3-3, the biasing force to the halved nut portions is cancelled at energization, and it is cancelled that the projections of the nut's teeth are engaged with the grooves in which the nuts in the halved nut portions, so that movement to the wall-surface direction of the absorption pads 3-3 secured on the wall-surface side of the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1 becomes possible.

Due to the absorption pad gripping mechanism, when each of the plural absorption pads 3-3 erected vertically of the wall-surface side on the absorption pad mechanical portion 3-2 is adhered on the wall-surface, the halved nut opening and closing plates 3-4′-1 which are biased in the halved nut portion direction due to non-energization are secured on the halved nut front end portions, the halved nuts are engaged with grooves in which the nuts are engaged provided on the outer circumferential wall of the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1, the slide movement in the wall-surface direction of the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1 is stopped, and the absorption pads 3-3 can be gripped corresponding to different height of the wall-surface.

Accordingly, the frame 2 can be travelled with maintaining parallelism to the wall-surface by adjusting the difference of height of the wall-surface due to extension or contraction of the absorption pad supporting rods 3-3-1.

Movement of wall-surface travelling of the wall-surface travelling robot according to the present invention is explained based on FIG. 12 sequentially. FIG. 12 is a side view seeing from horizontal direction of the wall-surface, and explains the case that it goes up on the wall-surface.

In FIG. 12 (a), the extendable absorption pad mechanism 1 positioned at the lower side thereof are absorbed on the wall-surface and the robot is secured on the wall-surface.

In FIG. 12( b), due to the extendable mechanism of the extendable absorption pad mechanism 2 positioned at the upper side that has not been absorbed, the absorption pads are contacted to and absorbed on the wall-surface and the extendable absorption pad mechanism 1 is absorbed continuously, so that the extendable absorption pad mechanism 1 and 2 are absorbed together on the wall-surface, so that the robot is absorbed on the wall-surface.

In FIG. 12 (c), this is in as state that the wall-surface absorption of the extendable absorption pad mechanism 1 is cancelled and the extendable mechanism is released from the wall-surface, the robot maintains the wall-surface adsorption due to the wall-surface absorption of the extendable absorption pad mechanism 2.

In FIG. 12 (d), due to upward movement of the extendable absorption pad mechanism 1 and the robot's frame, the extendable absorption pad mechanism 1 is located on the upper side of the extendable absorption pad mechanism 2. The extendable absorption pad mechanism located in the upper side extends the extendable mechanism and the absorption pads are contacted and absorbed on the wall-surface.

In the condition of FIG. 12 (d), it the numeral 1 and 2 in the extendable absorption pad mechanisms are read adversely, transition of their conditions in FIG. 12 (d) is similar to the conditions in FIG. 12 (a).

The wall-surface travelling robot according to the present invention can be absorbed and travelled on the wall-surface by repeating the transition of the conditions shown by the mark a to d.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The reason that the prior wall-surface travelling robots have not become popular is that there are some problems such that fixtures and fittings are necessary, that the absorption travelling on the various outer wall-surface is difficult, that the operation is difficult in large size/high weight/high costs or the like, and as a result of it, that human work has more flexibility and is superior economically.

The robot according to the present invention can be absorbed not only on a smooth wall-surface but also on an uneven surface that height of the wall-surface is different and a corrugated surface such as concrete, mortal, tiles or the like, and can achieve a new type robot that is superior in the absorption force and that can travel on the wall-surface at high speed and further that can achieve compact and weight saving so as to be portable, so that the robot according to the present invention could achieve cost saving without fixtures and fittings.

Because installation of working devices can be achieved in the robot according to the present invention, it can be used as a platform for the wall-surface working.

Working in a high dangerous position that only depend on manpower can promote power saving, automation, energy saving, economical increasing and safety increasing by effectiveness due to popularization of the robot that is superior in general versatility and at a compact size and at low cost.

EXPLANATION OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS

1 wall-surface travelling robot

2 frame

2-1 upper and lower end portion frame

2-1-1 upper end portion frame

2-1-2 lower end portion frame

2-2 right and left side surface portion frame

2-3 reciprocating mechanism guide rail

2-5 reciprocating linear shaft

2-6 linear bush or linear ball for reciprocating linear shaft

2-7 coupler

2-8 driving means

2-9 pulley

2-10 driving belt

2-11 reciprocating mechanical portion belt fastening mechanism

3 extendable absorption pad mechanism

3-1 reciprocating mechanical portion

3-2 absorption pad mechanical portion

3-3 absorption pad

3-3-1, 3-3-2 absorption pad supporting rod

3-3-3 vacuum joint

3-4, 3-4′ absorption pad gripping mechanical portion

3-4-1 gripping plate

3-4-2 elastic body such as a spring or the like

3-4′-1 halved not opening and closing plate

3-4′-2, 3-4′-3 halved nut

3-4′-2-a, 3-4′-3-a halved nut front end portion

3-4-3 gripping plate mechanical supporting plate

3-4-4 drive means

3-4′-4, 3-4′-5 halved nut stopper

3-4′-7 plate spring for opening and closing a halved nut

3-5 extendable mechanical portion

3-5-1 extendable mechanical linear shaft

3-5-2 linear bush or linear ball for extendable linear shaft

3-5-2 bush or bearing for extendable linear shaft

3-6 driving means

3-7 torque limit/coupler

3-8 elastic body such as a spring

3-9 extendable mechanical guide rod

3-9-1 bush for guide rod

3-10 vacuum generating device

3-11 linear bush or linear ball for reciprocating linear shaft

3-12, 3-13 guide wheel

3-14-1, 3-14-2, 3-15-1, 3-15-2 link plate

3-16-1 slidable moving wheel

3-17 central shaft

3-18-1, 3-18-2 slidably moving hole

3-19-1, 3-19-2 rotation shaft

3-20 linear motor, actuator or the like

4 rotation moment offsetting mechanism

4-1 moment controlling wheel

4-2 moment controlling wheel supporting plate

4-3 moment controlling wheel rotation supporting plate

4-4 controlling wheel rotation link

4-5 driving means 

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A wall-surface travelling robot for absorbing and travelling on the vertical wall-surface, comprising: extendable absorption pad mechanisms in each of which absorption pads detachable to the wall-surface to be absorbed move parallel to the wall-surface and vertically in the wall-surface, and extend to the wall-surface; and a rotation moment offsetting mechanism for applying a force opposite to the wall-surface into a lower end part of a frame.
 22. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 21 wherein said extendable absorption pad mechanism is provided with three or more guide rails installed on an upper part and a lower part of the frame, reciprocating mechanical portions contacting to said guide rails and moving up and down slidably, absorption pad mechanical portions each of which is paired to the reciprocating mechanical portion and on which absorption pads with vacuum generating devices are erected in the wall-surface direction, extendable mechanical portions each of which is engaged with said reciprocating mechanical portion and said absorption mechanical portion and each of which extends and contracts said absorption pad mechanical portion in the wall-surface direction with keeping parallelism to the wall-surface, and a travelling drive mechanism for moving the reciprocating mechanical portions in a vertical direction of the frame.
 23. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 21 wherein said rotation moment offsetting mechanism is provided with a wheel which is provided on the lower end portion of the frame and biases to the wall-surface, a supporting plate for supporting one end of said wheel and engaging another end of said wheel with the lower end portion of the frame, and a drive means for performing rotation of the supporting plate or pressing to the wall-surface.
 24. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 21 wherein said extendable mechanical portion is provided with a linear shaft provided on the absorption pad mechanical portion located on a wall-surface side of the reciprocating mechanical portion, a linear bush or a linear ball screwed on said linear shaft and provided on the absorption pad mechanical portion, and a drive means supporting said linear shaft.
 25. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 22 wherein said rotation moment offsetting mechanism is provided with a wheel which is provided on the lower end portion of the frame and biases to the wall-surface, a supporting plate for supporting one end of said wheel and engaging another end of said wheel with the lower end portion of the frame, and a drive means for performing rotation of the supporting plate or pressing to the wall-surface.
 26. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 22 wherein said extendable mechanical portion is provided with a linear shaft provided on the absorption pad mechanical portion located on a wall-surface side of the reciprocating mechanical portion, a linear bush or a linear ball screwed on said linear shaft and provided on the absorption pad mechanical portion, and a drive means supporting said linear shaft.
 27. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 24 wherein said extendable mechanical portion is provided with a guide rod which is provided through said reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion and whose end is secured on the reciprocating mechanical portion or the absorption pad mechanical portion, and a stopper which is contacted with a guide rod through hole in the reciprocating mechanical portion or the absorption pad mechanical portion is provided on a free end portion of another end of the guide rod.
 28. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 26 wherein said extendable mechanical portion is provided with a guide rod which is provided through said reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion and whose end is secured on the reciprocating mechanical portion or the absorption pad mechanical portion, and a stopper which is contacted with a guide rod through hole in the reciprocating mechanical portion or the absorption pad mechanical portion is provided on a free end portion of another end of the guide rod.
 29. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 21 wherein said extendable mechanical portion is provided with an X-shaped link mechanism wherein two plates are installed each on right side and left side in both side plates in a vertical moving direction of the reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion and are formed as X-shape by fixing the center points of the two plates, wherein three end portions of the X-shape link mechanism are supported on predefined positions of the both side plates in the reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion, wherein one end portion of the X-shape is provided slidably to an elongate hole which is in parallel to the vertical direction of the reciprocating mechanical portion and is provided at a predefined position of the both side plates of the reciprocating mechanical portion, and a drive means for reciprocating one end portion of the link mechanical portion inserting slidably along the elongate hole.
 30. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 21 wherein the extendable mechanical portion is provided with a rack which is erected at a predefined position on the wall-surface side in the reciprocating mechanical portion, a pinion which is provided at a predefined position opposite to the wall-surface in the absorption pad mechanical portion and which is engaged with the rack, a roller or a shoe like a ship-bottom shape which holds a back-surface of the rack and a drive means for supporting the pinion.
 31. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 21 wherein said travelling drive mechanism is provided with a predefined number of pulleys which are provided on the upper part and the lower part in the frame respectively, a predefined number of endless rotation belts extending between the pulleys, fastening means for fastening predefined positions of the endless rotation belts on the reciprocating mechanical portion and a drive means for supporting on the pulleys.
 32. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 21 wherein said travelling drive mechanism is provided with a linear shaft which is supported on the upper part and the lower part in the frame in order to change from rotation movement to linear movement, a drive means which is supported at one end of the linear shaft, a linear bush or a linear ball which is screwed on the linear shafts and which is provided in the reverse direction relative to the wall-surface of the reciprocating mechanical portion.
 33. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 21 wherein said absorption pad mechanical portion is to erect two or more absorption pads vertically in the wall-surface direction.
 34. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 33 wherein said absorption pad mechanical portion is provided with two or more absorption pads, and a plurality of absorption pad supporting rod mechanisms which are provided through a base plate of the absorption pad mechanical portion and which can move slidably in the wall-surface direction and can stop the absorption pads at one end of the wall-surface side thereof, which are provided with concave grooves up and down to the sliding direction on an outer peripheral wall in another end thereof, which are biased to the wall-surface direction by an elastic material and which are provided vertically, gripping mechanisms for engaging with the concave grooves of the absorption pad supporting rods to prevent slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rods, and a drive means for controlling so as to prevent slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rod when the absorption pads are absorbed on the wall-surface and to start slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rod when the absorption pads are released.
 35. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 22 wherein said extendable mechanical portion is provided with an X-shaped link mechanism wherein two plates are installed each on right side and left side in both side plates in a vertical moving direction of the reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion and are formed as X-shape by fixing the center points of the two plates, wherein three end portions of the X-shape link mechanism are supported on predefined positions of the both side plates in the reciprocating mechanical portion and the absorption pad mechanical portion, wherein one end portion of the X-shape is provided slidably to an elongate hole which is in parallel to the vertical direction of the reciprocating mechanical portion and is provided at a predefined position of the both side plates of the reciprocating mechanical portion, and a drive means for reciprocating one end portion of the link mechanical portion inserting slidably along the elongate hole.
 36. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 22 wherein the extendable mechanical portion is provided with a rack which is erected at a predefined position on the wall-surface side in the reciprocating mechanical portion, a pinion which is provided at a predefined position opposite to the wall-surface in the absorption pad mechanical portion and which is engaged with the rack, a roller or a shoe like a ship-bottom shape which holds a back-surface of the rack and a drive means for supporting the pinion.
 37. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 22 wherein said travelling drive mechanism is provided with a predefined number of pulleys which are provided on the upper part and the lower part in the frame respectively, a predefined number of endless rotation belts extending between the pulleys, fastening means for fastening predefined positions of the endless rotation belts on the reciprocating mechanical portion and a drive means for supporting on the pulleys.
 38. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 22 wherein said travelling drive mechanism is provided with a linear shaft which is supported on the upper part and the lower part in the frame in order to change from rotation movement to linear movement, a drive means which is supported at one end of the linear shaft, a linear bush or a linear ball which is screwed on the linear shafts and which is provided in the reverse direction relative to the wall-surface of the reciprocating mechanical portion.
 39. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 22 wherein said absorption pad mechanical portion is to erect two or more absorption pads vertically in the wall-surface direction.
 40. A wall-surface travelling robot according to claim 39 wherein said absorption pad mechanical portion is provided with two or more absorption pads, and a plurality of absorption pad supporting rod mechanisms which are provided through a base plate of the absorption pad mechanical portion and which can move slidably in the wall-surface direction and can stop the absorption pads at one end of the wall-surface side thereof, which are provided with concave grooves up and down to the sliding direction on an outer peripheral wall in another end thereof, which are biased to the wall-surface direction by an elastic material and which are provided vertically, gripping mechanisms for engaging with the concave grooves of the absorption pad supporting rods to prevent slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rods, and a drive means for controlling so as to prevent slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rod when the absorption pads are absorbed on the wall-surface and to start slide movement of the absorption pad supporting rod when the absorption pads are released. 